Reptile Smuggling on 7pm Project

[Waterrat]

Lets face it, apart from giant anacondas, retics, etc., almost anything can be smuggled in. However, the high demand seems to be only for those species that can be filtered through existing collections, e.g. jags (as carpets), GTPs, albino this and that.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I've made the point here many times Michael, that the biggest smuggling problems facing Australian authorities these days are as you say, the morphs of species endemic to this country. It's very clear-cut if you have a Burm or a Chameleon that you're breaking the law, but there seems to be an endless stream of new morphs of Aussie species, first bred overseas, turning up in this country 2 or three years later.

Much harder to track down, especially if you call them something else to start with, until they're widespread enough to bring them out of the closet...

Jamie

 

[Wild~Touch]

Seems to me smuggling/poaching is treated like the drug industry, if it's for your own personal use authorities don't recognise the fact and not much is done about it, but when used for financial gain = a whole new ball game

 

[waruikazi]

If only that really were the case. There would be some significantly big names up on wildlife charges if the authorities really felt that way.

Seems to me smuggling/poaching is treated like the drug industry, if it's for your own personal use authorities don't recognise the fact and not much is done about it, but when used for financial gain = a whole new ball game

 

[Amazing Amazon]

It is going to be a much more general topic on exotic reptiles and birds. They are just going to show that things like Boas, Corn Snakes, Macaws ETC are and have been smuggled into the country. We were interviewed by them last week regarding this topic.
Paul

 

[Laghairt]

I would have thought the focus of the program would be on people smuggling native reptiles out of the country. You would make a lot more doing that than smuggling in the odd morph.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

It is going to be a much more general topic on exotic reptiles and birds. They are just going to show that things like Boas, Corn Snakes, Macaws ETC are and have been smuggled into the country. We were interviewed by them last week regarding this topic.
Paul

I guess it'll just increase demand for these exotics, when people who otherwise were unaware that they could get them here if they know the right people, suddenly find out that they're here in some abundance... and you don't even need a licence (in fact it's better if you don't have one...).

Jamie

I would have thought the focus of the program would be on people smuggling native reptiles out of the country. You would make a lot more doing that than smuggling in the odd morph in.

Is that the case? How do you know?

Jamie

 

[Laghairt]

It's called common sense Jamie.

Is that the case? How do you know?

Jamie

 

[Pythoninfinite]

It's called common sense Jamie.

No it's not, it's a legit question. Do you know how much the first Jags, granites, albino BHPs etc sell/sold for when they come/came into the country?

If it's common sense, please be more specific...

Jamie

 

[D3pro]

Hahaha, I LOVE this thread... where is my popcorn . . .

 

[Laghairt]

Jamie you need only look at the price some Aussie herps fetch overseas. I spend a lot of time OS so I know what the prices are first hand. There are a number of other factors but I have better things to do than explain them here.

 

[waruikazi]

I spoke to some breeders from the US a week and a half ago. There is only one Aussie python that is unavailable to them, apart from that they already have access to more native Australian stock than we do.

Common sense or an idea you came up with 15 minutes ago?

It's called common sense Jamie.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Jamie you need only look at the price some Aussie herps fetch overseas. I spend a lot of time OS so I know what the prices are first hand. There are a number of other factors but I have better things to do than explain them here.

That's a load of codswallop. There are a few species (slow breeding things like shinglebacks which go for big bucks O/S), and a few other specialised animals, but they would still be battling to match the $10K, $20K, $30K+ pricetags that these morphs bring when they come into this country.

There's not much point in responding if you aren't prepared to stump up with the evidence.

Jamie

 

[D3pro]

. . . Nah I'm staying out of this one

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I am inclined to agree with Lahhairt, there is a much larger market OS.

That market was already flooded with Oz species long before we even started breeding herps in this country D3po. In my early travels into the US (particularly) in the late 80s and early 90s you could buy captive bred carpets for $150-$200, while they were still $1K+ here.

Jamie

 

[Wally]

. . . Nah I'm staying out of this one

Pandas need feeding?

 

[Laghairt]

Jamie both you and Gordon Canning from Gunbalanya have too much much time on your hands.

 

[hrafna]

if the show is about reptile smuggling why then did the ad show a monkey among other non reptilian animals? Or is that a new exotic morph of a ball python?

 

[D3pro]

Pandas need feeding?

Nah i had to eat them lol

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Jamie both you and Gordon Canning from Gunbalanya have too much much time on your hands.

Now there's a very astute observation... oh to be as busy as you are... whoever you are...

J